Stuttering

Your child stutters and stammers. Should you worry?

What it is

When your tot is tired, upset, feeling pressured, or excited, she tends to repeat sounds, syllables, and words.

Why it happens

Stuttering, also known as disfluency, is pretty common at this age (about one in four toddlers will stutter). That's because their language skills are still developing and their vocabulary is limited — in other words, they think faster than they can talk.

What you need to know

Don't worry. For most tots, normal, age-appropriate stuttering is short-lived, lasting anywhere from a few days to several months. In the meantime, be patient (and follow the tips below). If you suspect the problem is more serious (she stutters every few sentences, repeats words frequently — four or five times — is physically tense when trying to speak, or becomes reluctant to talk because of her stuttering), get help (there's plenty out there!). Ask your child's doctor for a referral to a speech therapist or contact the Stuttering Foundation of America for more information.

What to do about it

Take it slow. When communicating with your child, talk to her in a slow and relaxed tone of voice, which may encourage her to do the same.

Don't point out her stuttering. It may be tough to act as if nothing's amiss, but keep your facial expression and body language neutral and don't make her feel bad about her stuttering by telling her to slow down, start over, or take a deep breath. Don't interrupt or finish her words for her, either. Any of those reactions might make her feel like she's doing something wrong — and that could make her stuttering even worse.

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or in place of therapy or medical care. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.